Sky to rent cinemas across country to show new series of Game of Thrones later this year

Sky is to rent cinemas across the country to show the latest series of Game of Thrones when it launches later this year.

The move is a significant ramp up in the pay-TV giant’s ambitions as it promotes its exclusive content.

The group (up 21p at 919.5p) aims to set itself apart from arch-rival BT with its own big budget drama series, beginning with Icelandic crime thriller Fortitude.

New series: Game of Thrones stars Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen

But it also plans a huge publicity drive when its flagship fantasy series Game of Thrones – which stars Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen, pictured – returns on April 13.Although produced by the US studio HBO, Sky has gained exclusive rights to the dragon-fire epic on UK TV.

More than 1m Britons watched the finale of the fourth series last year.